This invention relates to a multiple fluid cartridge which is insertable into a programmable infusion pump.
It is an object of this invention to provide a compact, lightweight infusion pump which may be used for ambulatory patients. It is a further object of this invention to provide a pump which can be conveniently used with fluid source cartridges.
There has been a demonstrated need for pumps which can intravenously administer a plurality of drug solutions. For example, multiple drug chemotherapy treatments have been used to treat diseases such as cancer. Many of the drugs used in chemotherapy and other therapies cannot be mixed together prior to an infusion. Some of these drugs react to neutralize one another. Other drugs react to form precipitates which may block the catheter tube, or possibly cause an embolism in the patient.
Pumps have been developed which can concurrently pump a plurality of fluids through a multilumen catheter into a patient. The multilumen catheter keeps the drugs separate until they reach the bloodstream. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,736 (Brown), a pump is disclosed which uses a roller to push fluid out of a plurality of compartments in an infusion pump. The different fluids in each of the compartment is pumped out at the same time by the action of the single roller
In infusion pump patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,430 (Brown and Tai), a multiple syringe pump is disclosed in which a canister of compressed gas serves as the power source for pumping fluid out of a syringe. All of the syringes are controlled by the same canister of gas, and variation in the pumping rate of a syringe is controlled by valves on the outlets of the syringes.
An object of the present invention is to provide in a single ambulatory housing, separately controlled pumping mechanisms for each of a plurality of fluid sources. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide multiple fluid source cartridges which are attachable to a pump of the present invention.